Conventionally, mammary gland image diagnosis performed in breast cancer screening is generally performed using mammography images captured by a mammography apparatus. To the contrary, in recent years, mammary gland image diagnosis is performed using mammography images and ultrasonic images.
At the time of mammary gland image diagnosis using mammography images and ultrasonic images, in many cases, the first operator captures mammography images, and the second operator captures ultrasonic images with reference to the mammography images. The first operator sets regions of interest on the captured mammography images. A schematic diagram schematically representing breasts is generated using the pieces of position information of the regions of interest on the mammography images and pieces of information respectively indicating the imaging directions of the mammography images. The schematic diagram is transmitted to a display to be used to perform ultrasonic diagnosis together with the mammography images. The second operator may capture ultrasonic images with reference to various kinds of auxiliary information such as the schematic diagram and a finding comment indicating the interpretation information of the mammography images, and the mammography images.
However, there are various display environments to be referred to by the second operator who uses the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. A case in which it is difficult for the second operator to refer to the mammography images and auxiliary information displayed on the display depending on the mammography images and the arrangement and/or size of auxiliary information is also assumed. If the mammography images and auxiliary information are displayed on a display having a small display screen by using the layout of the mammography images and auxiliary information, which has been set for a display having a large display screen, it is assumed to be difficult to refer to the auxiliary information on the display having the small display screen.
To help the second operator, it is necessary to adjust, in accordance with the size and/or shape of the display screen of the transmission destination, the mammography images and the auxiliary information such as the above-described schematic diagram to have a layout which is readily visually perceived by the second operator.